The optimal design called a spherical tokamak.
Scientists from the plasma physics Lab called the optimum, in their opinion, the device of the tokamak (toroidal chamber with magnetic coils), which can be used in commercial projects of operated thermonuclear synthesis. A study published in the journal Nuclear Fusion, and briefly about it reports school.
The optimal design called a spherical tokamak. In contrast to classical chamber having a toroidal shape with a large inner hole, considered by the authors of the design, though it retains a toroidal shape, nonetheless has an extremely small inner cavity.
This design allows scientists to effectively maintain and heat the plasma. It is possible sufficient production of tritium, a rare isotope of hydrogen necessary for the implementation of the thermonuclear reaction, and the walls of the tokamak is less subject to damage.
Considered in the work of the American scientists of the spherical tokamak NSTX-U National Spherical Torus Experiment Upgrade) develops twice the power and five times the pulse duration than its predecessor. At the present time in the world experiments with spherical tokamaks carried out in the USA, UK and Russia.
In fusion reactors happen reactions of synthesis (formation) of heavy elements from lighter ones (for example, helium from hydrogen isotopes deuterium and tritium), unlike conventional nuclear reactors, where the processes of decay of heavy nuclei into lighter.
In a tokamak the plasma is held by magnetic field, having the form of a toroidal cord, by which an electrical current is passed. Plasma containment is due to the magnetic field from the eddy electric field. This means that the tokamak can operate (without auxiliary devices) only in a pulsed mode, while its main competitor (the stellarator) are capable for a long time to work in a continuous (stationary) mode.
